Able Archer 83 - The Exercise That Almost Triggered World War III

In November 1983, as NATO conducted a routine command exercise called Able Archer 83, Soviet leaders became convinced that the West was preparing a surprise nuclear attack. With Yuri Andropov isolated and gravely ill, KGB agents reporting ominous “indicators” of war, and Soviet nuclear forces moving to unprecedented alert levels, the world teetered closer to Armageddon than at any moment since the Cuban Missile Crisis—all because of a war game neither side realized the other was misreading.

Declassified documents, defectors’ testimonies, and once-secret intelligence reports now reveal how profound mistrust, aggressive rhetoric, and realistic military drills combined to create the most dangerous misunderstanding of the Cold War.

Join us on History Declassified as we uncover the chilling story of Able Archer 83: the exercise that almost triggered World War III—and the sobering lessons it still holds in today’s tense global climate.